Wringer mop hinging construction



May 27, 1958 w. E. KAUTENBERG 2,335,910

WRINGER MOP HING ING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-She'et 1 Original Filed Dec. 13. 1951 May 27, 1958 w. E. KAUTENBERG 2,835,910

WRINGER MOP HINGING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: W/LL/AM E KAUTEWBERG WWW! ATT'Y United States Patent WRINGER MOP HINGING CONSTRUCTION William E. Kautenberg, Freeport, Ill., assignor to W. E. Kautenberg Co., Freeport, 111., a corporation of Illinois Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 261,445, December 13, 1951. This application April 20, 1953, Serial No. 349,725

11 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) This invention relates in general to a mop preferably of the cellulose sponge type having a wringer in connection therewith movable from a position substantially parallel with the mop handle to a wringing position substantially parallel with the mop head.

This mop is composed of sheet metal parts and bent wire connecting parts. The wringer plate is connected to the mop head by a double hinge construction which swings the plate downwardly below the head for compressing it flatly against the mop cleaning element in the wringing position and also swings the plate upwardly against the handle when it is not used as a wringer.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for the wringer plate to move it in alignment with the hinging elements in one position and to swing it relatively to the hinging elements in another position.

A further object of the invention is to form the connected parts separately and completely so that they may be joined by the wire connecting parts.

7 Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a wringer mop in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view with the wringer plate in raised position as taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the same line of Fig. 2 showing the mop in wringing position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing one of the wire hinging means between the mop head and the wringer plate;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modification of the pivoting wire hinging means;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective showing another modification of the means for holding the hinging wire in place;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing still another modification of the connecting wire holding means; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the cleaning element and mop head connecting means as taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to a wringer mop in which some of the parts are made entirely of sheet metal strengthened and stiffened by headings and corrugations so that com-' paratively thin metal may be used and the sheet metal parts are connected by bent wire hinging elements after the sheet metal parts are completely formed so that it is a relatively simple and inexpensive operation to join and assemble the parts without complicated machine operations after or during the assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a mop head 10 is formed of substantially flat sheet metal with a hinging curl 12 along the front edge except at the center and witha downwardly curved edge 14 at the rear edge thereof. Attached to the top of the plate and extending upwardly therefrom is a niopstick holder l6 7 2,835,910 Patented May 27, 1958 having a flaring lower extremity and a flat base 18 which may be riveted, spot welded or otherwise connected to the top of the plate 10. This holder is hollow and preferably slidably tapered at its upper end for receiving a mop stick 20 secured in place by a screw or nail 22 inserted through a hole in the holder and into the inserted end of the mop stick. Projecting forwardly from the front side of the holder 16 is a spring fastening clip 24 having a shaped upper end 26 for engaging a wringer plate.

A cleaning element 28 preferably of cellulose sponge has a mounting plate 30 with downward angular projections 32 which is secured to the sponge element by cement and by the projections and extending over the metal mounting strip is a fabric cover 34 of cloth, canvas, and the like which is cemented over the top of the mounting plate 30 and to the edges of the cleaning element at the top thereof, the fabric extending partly downward over the front and rear edges of the cleaning element to reinforce the top of the sponge where the most strain comes in the mopping operation. The metal plate 30 is set back from the front edge of the sponge a short distance such as one-half inch or so, so that the sponge and its cloth covering project sufficiently beyond the front of the mop head plate 10 to act as a buffer. It also projects at the ends beyond the plate 10 to protect furniture, baseboards and other parts from being damaged by contact with the metal parts when the mop is used in cleaning.

Near each end of the cleaning element, a bolt 38. is inserted upwardly through the mounting plate 30 as shown more clearly in Fig. 8, the head being at the under side with an angular portion 40 extending through the plate and the corner projections 42 of this angular portion being upset outwardly over the plate 30 to hold the bolt in connection with the cleaning element. An upper threaded portion 44 of the bolt extends through the fabric 34 and through the top plate 10 of the mop head and a wing nut 46 is applied to the projecting threaded end against the plate 10 for binding the cleaning element firmly against the bottom of the mop head.

With this construction, the cleaning elements are easily applied and removed and are held firmly in engagement with the mop head independently of the wringer plate. A wringer plateSll of the same length as the mop head top plate is formed of sheet metal, corrugated longitudinally and with perforations 52 through the corrugated portion to allow the escape of water and dirt from the cleaning element. At one edge, this plate is formed with closed curls 54 at each end terminating at a distance from the center which is formed with a cut-out 56. The opposite and normally outer edge of the plate is formed with a curved edge 58 which extends around and engages the rear edge of the cleaning element in the wringing position as shown in Fig. 3.

Near the outer edge 58 are cars 60 each having a perforation 62 therethrough adapted to receive opposite parallel parts 64 of a bent wire handle 66 which extends outwardly beyond the curved edge 58 of the plate and has partially curled extremities 68 extending to the opposite or inner side of the plate 50 at the inner ends of the closed mounting curls 54. A central hinging plate 70 is of a proper length to be inserted in the cut-out 56 with the partially curled ends 68 of the handle at the ends of the cut-out. The opposite edges of this plate have a closed hinging curl 72 at one side and two hinging curls 74 at the other side with a central cut-out 76..

The hinging curl 72 is in alignment and between the,

hinging curls 12 of the top plate 10 and between the ends thereof where a projection 78 from the top plate extends angularly upward and rearward from the front The hinging curls 74 are in alignment with the closed hinging curls 54 of the wringer plate and with the partially curved ends 68 of the handle member. The wringer plate and the hinging plate are Connected for hinging movement by substantially U-shaped hinging wires 8t) which are inserted at each end into the hinging curl 12 of the head plate 10 and the hinging curl 54- at the inner edge of the wringer plate. The continued insertion of each hinging wire 80 causes the inner ends to extend through the corresponding end of the inner hinge curl 72 of the hinging plate 7%) and the outer hinging curl 74, one of the ends of the wire passing through the corresponding partially curled end 68 of the handle 66. These wires are of such a length that when they are inserted to abut the outer ends of the curls l2 and 54 an inner extremity 82 projects within the recess 76 of the hinging plate 76. To retain the hinging wire in position, this extremity 82 is bent substantially at right angles to the wire and in a position to engage the inner edge of the plate St) at its cut out 56 thereby limiting the movement of the wringer plate 50 in the rearward direction with respect to the hinging plate 76.

Instead of bending the end 82 of the wire 80 as shown in Fig. 4, the lower edge of the plate Stla may have a cut-out 84 near the end of the lower hinging curl 540 as shown in Fig. which provides an outer tongue 86 bendable from an extended position to a closed and locking position as shown in full lines in this figure to hold a hinging wire 30a in place. With this construction, no bent extremity is required at either inner end of the hinging wire 80a, but the wire engages the wringer plate 50a between the end of the curl 54a and the outer tongue 86 to limit its movement in one direction relative to the wringer plate.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, a bendable projection 54]) is formed at the outer end of a wringer plate 50b and the end of the adjacent hinging curl is partially cut away so that after the hinging wire 80/) is inserted, the projection 54b is turned upwardly at the end of the wire to prevent it from moving outwardly from its engagement and thereby locking it in place. Since a portion of the plate is engaged by the Uend of the hinging wire, this will also hold the wringer plate in alignment with the hinging plate.

Inthe modification shown in Fig. 7, a hinging wire We is inserted from each end of the wringer plate and the head plate as shown in Fig. 4 and one extremity of each hinging wire which projects into the cut-out 76 of the hinging'plate 70 has a longitudinal cut 9d into the end of the wire adapting the extremities to be spread apart as shown in Fig. 7 to engage the adjacent edge of the cut-out 56 on the wringer plate 5%. In this construction, the spread extremities of the hinging wires 89c by their engagement with the plate 50 causes the wringer plate and the hinging plate 70 to be aligned in one direction of movement but to swing relatively to each other in the other or wringer position as shown in Fig. 3.

In all of these forms, the wringer plate swings freely outwardly from the mop head and below the head until the wringer plate is brought into engagement with the bottom of the cleaning element which may be compressed by operating the handle 66, the curved portion 58 of the wringer plate at this time engaging and confining the rear edge of the cleaning element to compress it between the plate 50 and the bottom of the mop head. When the wringer plate is turned in the opposite direction, the engagement of the wire hinging elements with the wringer plate and the hinging plate causes them to be moved into alignment and they are swung upwardly together until the upper free end 26 of the latch plate 24 engages in an opening. 92 at the upper side of the wringer plate as shown in Fig. 2.

In all of the forms, the hinging wires which are inserted in the hinging curls atthe edges of the sheet the different forms provides a double hinge constructionwhich swings the wringer plate downwardly for compressing the mop cleaning element flatly in wringing position and it also swings the plate and the hinging elements in alignment and the plate upwardly against the handle when it is not used as a wringer.

With this construction and the different hinge forms, the metal parts can be formed separately and completely before they are assembled and after the hinging wires are inserted, it is necessary only to upset the ends of these Wires or small projections at the ends of the plate in order to bind the hinging wires firmly in position. No complicated or expensive forming operations are necessary in assembling or connecting the parts.

While the preferred construction and several fragmentary modifications have been described in some detail, it should be regarded by way of illustration and example rather than a restriction or limitation of the invention as various changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: I

1. In a hinging construction for a wringer mop having a mop head plate extending transversely, and a wringer plate of substantially the same length as the head plate; the head plate and the wringer plate each having hinging means along one edge thereof except at a recess centrally of the edge, U-shaped hinging wires inserted in the hinging means at each end of the head plate and wringer plate and extending inwardly thereof, and a hinging plate having opposite hinging means engaging the inner ends of the hinging wires in said recess for connecting the head plate and wringer plate and spacing them apart and providing a double hinging connection therefor, the ends of each wire extending into said hinging plate, and means at one end of each wire for locking the wire into engagement with the head plate, the wringer plate, and the hinging plate.

2. In a hinging construction for a wringer mop, in accordance with claim l, the hinging plate having a recess intersecting the hinging means thereon at one side and the extremities of the hinging wires extending into the recess, said extremities having bendable portions for securing the wires in their inserted hinging positions.

3. In a hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 6, the hinging means for the head plate and the wringer plate comprising hinging curls extending longitudinally along adjacent edges thereof, and the U-shaped hinging wires being inserted in the curls of the head plate and the wringer plate from the outer ends thereof, and at least one of the curls at each end of the plates having a recess in the curl adjacent the end, and a bendable portion at the outer end of the curl for locking the rounded end of the hinging wire in hinging position after it is inserted in the curls.

4. In a hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 6, the head plate and the wringer plate each having hinging curls extending longitudinally along one edge. and the U-shaped hinging wires being inserted in the head plate and wringer plate curls at each end thereof, and the curl portions near each end of the wringer plate having a cut away portion into which the bight of the hinging wire at that end extends and contacts the adjacent portion of the wringer plate for limiting its hinging movement to a position in alignment with the bight of the hinging wire in one direction of rotation.

5. A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 1 in which one of the hinging means for each wire comprises a curl which is less in length than the corresponding leg of the wire inserted therein so that the inner end of the wire projects beyond said means, and a bent extremity on the projecting end of the wire to hold it in said means.

6. A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 1, in which the hinging means comprises hinging curls extending along the edges of the head plate and the wringer plate, at least one of the hinging curls for each wire being less in length than the corresponding leg of the wire inserted therein so that the inner end of the wire projects beyond the said curl, and a bent extremity on the projecting end of the wire to hold the wire releasably in the curls and removable therefrom by straightening the said bent extremity.

7. A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 1, in which the hinging plate has a central recess into which the inner ends of the hinging wires project, and each wire having an extremity bendable in the recess of the hinging plate after its insertion through the plates for holding it in place.

8, A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 7, in which one inner end of each hinging wire is bent in the plane of that wire and out of the recess of the hinging plate for engaging the wringer plate and limiting its movement to a position substantially in alignment with the U-shaped wires in one hinging direction of movement of the wringer plate and the hinging wires.

9. A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 8, in which the outer free edge of the wringer plate is curved outwardly, means engaging the hinging means of the wringer plate and the hinging plate to swing them upwardly together in alignment and to swing them downwardly in spaced angular relation below the front of the mop head plate so that the curved edge of the wringer plate extends beyond the rear edge of the cleaning element and beyond the rear edge of the head plate to compress the cleaning element upwardly and at the bottom of the head plate and at the rear of the head plate when the wringer plate is swung to wringing position.

10. A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 1, in which the hinging plate is located in the said central recesses of the head plate and the wringer plate engaging the inserted extremities of the hinging wires, and the head plate at the edge adjacent the hinging plate having a projection extending angularly upward therefrom for engaging the hinging plate and limiting its rotation in an upward direction.

11. A hinging construction for a wringer mop in accordance with claim 10, including means in connection with the hinging wire for engaging the wringer plate in one direction of rotation and limiting the relative movement of the wringer plate and the hinging plate to a position substantially in alignment and said projection engaging the hinging plate and holding it and the wringer plate in substantial alignment and in continuation with the inclination of said projection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 903,236 Schwanbeck Nov. 10, 1908 1,821,136 Bolakowski Sept. 1, 1931 2,044,075 Ielenfy J une 16, 1936 2,165,319 Vaughn July 11, 1939 2,222,368 Lux Nov. 19, 1940 2,442,467 Lux June 1, 1948 2,515,403 Greenleaf et al. July 18, 1950 2,637,059 Vosbikian et al. May 5, 1953 2,671,236 Richards et al. Mar. 9, 1954 2,694,824 Kalinowski Nov. 23, 1954 2,708,282 Vaughn May 17, 1955 2,774,091 Greenleaf ]Dec. 18, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 462,390 Canada Jan. 10, 1950 485,587 Canada Aug. 12, 1952 682,836 Great Britain Nov. 19, 1952 

